Brussels, 08/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - 2015, a key year for development that the EU could make into a European Year of Development, will see the expiry of the Millennium Development Goals, to be replaced by new global objectives. It therefore comes as no surprise that the Greek Presidency of the Council has decided to focus during the six months of its mandate to focus on this expiry and to strive to ensure that all preparations are made for the post-2015 global context. It will continue on the same lines as the Lithuanian Presidency to achieve this aim. Its objective is to guarantee a constructive EU contribution to the ongoing UN work towards ensuring a coordinated approach in the processes of eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development in a single coherent and ambitious framework that helps strengthen the international community's commitment to the goals bringing together these two dimensions and promoting effective action across the globe.
The Greek Presidency intends to focus its efforts on the role of the private sector in development by exploring how the private sector can support development in partner countries and how to step up the commitment to eradicating poverty and promoting inclusive and sustainable growth in developing countries.
The strategic framework for human rights and democracy and its action plan will constitute another priority of the Greek Presidency, which it will seek to push forward a development cooperation approach that promotes human rights and which can form part of the EU's cooperation activities in partner countries. (AN/transl.fl)